I could honestly "take or leave" this book. The format fit well into my busy schedule recently with nice short chapters and a pretty fast-moving plot line. It held my interest; I just didn't love this book. I need pretty language and lovable/hate-able characters, but Casino Royale was more of a straight forward, (to me) stereotypical boys' book. James Bond, like in the movies, is that man that everyone wants to be...he has a hot girl, a cool job, and he gets to eat/drink/play like he's filthy rich. Bond, however, hasn't completely become that stereotypically "cool" guy. This time, he actually falls in love with the girl and gets burned...which is what probably sparks the detached Bond of the later movies (I've only read Casino Royale of the 007 book series, and I think I may keep it that way). I think what really kept me from loving this book was Fleming's preoccupation with "boy" things; he focuses on the gambling exchange between Bond and Le Chiffre for way too long, the torture scene is close to being too graphic for my taste. Generally, Fleming paid much more attention to the plot line or his own personal hobbies (like gambling) instead of fully developing the characters.
Sorry I didn't give much of a plot line or anything; just one of those books where you have to read it (or watch the movie) to get the story, but there's nothing in the novel to really pick up on and discuss.
My rating: 7.5/10
Next up: Labyrinths by Jose Luis Borges. I love Latin American authors, but this book seems a little out of my typical comfort zone for reading. It's a compilation of many of Borges' fiction, essays, and parables, most of which are explorations of physics and social theories, so I may end up struggling a bit. At least when I get bored of one story, it's probably going to be relatively short and can move onto the next one soon. I'll update you as I go or when I'm finished, depending on my time constraints.
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